Lesson 2: Analyzing the Federalist Papers
Application Question(s): What is the main idea of your Federalist Paper? How would you
describe the essential arguments of Federalist Papers 10, 51, 39, 47 and 48 to a stranger in two
minutes or less? How are all of these papers connected to one another?
Lesson Overview: In this lesson on the analysis of the Federalist papers, students will further
their understanding of their assigned Federalist paper by working in groups to condense the main
points and themes into an elevator speech that encapsulates the arguments of their Federalist
paper. Elevator speeches will first be done individually, then individual responses will be
synthesized into a group elevator speech. Once each group has composed their “best” elevator
speech, the students will be sorted into mixed groups for a jigsaw activity where they teach their
other classmates, who read different Federalist papers, about their Federalist paper. Finally,
students will construct a continuous narrative that flows between the Federalist papers and
explain how they are all connected to one another.
NCSS Thematic Strand1:
VI. Power, Authority, and Governance:
1. Fundamental principles of American constitutional democracy [including those of the
U.S. Constitution, popular sovereignty, the rule of law, separation of powers, checks and
balances, minority rights, the separation of church and state, and Federalism] (NCSS,
2010, p. 144).
2. Examine persistent issues involving the rights, responsibilities, roles, and status of
individuals and groups in relation to the general welfare (NCSS, 2010, p. 144).
Ohio Academic Content Standard(s):
Theme: Basic Principles of the U.S. Constitution, American Government Strand: 5. As the
supreme law of the land, the U.S. Constitution incorporates basic principles which help define
the government of the United States as a federal republic including its structure, powers and
relationship with the governed.
Theme: Basic Principles of the U.S. Constitution, American Government Strand: 6. The
Federalist Papers and the Anti-Federalist Papers framed the national debate over the basic
principles of government encompassed by the Constitution of the United States.
Grade Level: 12 grade
th
Class Periods Required: One 90 minute class period (Block schedule)
Goals/Objectives/ Student Outcomes/Performance Expectations:
Students will:
-Be able to synthesize interpretations of the main arguments of their assigned Federalist Paper
with their small group in order to deduct the correct answers.
1
NCSS references are from National Council for the Social Studies, National Curriculum Standards for Social
Studies: A Framework for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment (Washington DC: National Council for the Social
Studies, 2010).
-Be able to compare/contrast the different Federalist papers.
-Be able to put in to their own words, in the form of an “elevator speech” the topic, main idea
and supporting arguments of their assigned Federalist Paper.
-Be able to construct a continuous narrative that spans across their Federalist papers and be able
to explain how they are all interconnected to one another.
Materials:
-Google Forms
-computer/projector
-PowerPoint activity instructions
- Federalist Paper Worksheets
- Class book set of The Federalist: The Famous Papers on the Principles of American
Government Edited by Benjamin F. Wright (primary sources)
Instructional Strategies:
-Group collaboration
-Individual Elevator Speech
-Group Elevator Speech
-Jigsaw Activity
Procedures:
Procedure 1: Group Consensus- 15 minutes
Students will meet with the people who have the same number paper and discuss what answers
they deducted on their Federalist Papers Worksheet. They will then be instructed to try to reach a
consensus on what those right answers are on the worksheet. The teacher will circulate the room
to make sure that the students are on the right track.
Procedure 2: Individual “Elevator Speech” Federalist Paper Summary- 20 minutes
Students will be instructed to individually synthesize what correct answers their group has
discussed on the Worksheet in order to come up with the following: 3 words or less about what
the topic of their Federalist Paper is, as well as, the main idea and supporting logic of the
Federalist Paper. The students will then be asked to create an “elevator speech” individually
based on what they came up with individually as far as the three word description, main idea and
supporting logic of their Federalist Paper. This “elevator speech” will consist of one paragraph
and should be written as if they were telling a stranger about their Federalist Paper on a one to
two minute elevator ride and be prepared to teach other students. The teacher will instruct the
students that there will be four links on the Blackboard site to the Google Forms where they can
individually submit their ideas for their “elevator speech” based on what Federalist Paper they
had.
Procedure 3: Consolidation of Individual “Elevator Speeches” to a Group “Elevator Speech”
- 10 minutes
Students will be asked to regroup with the people with their same Federalist Paper number again
and share their responses on their individual “elevator speeches.” The teacher will instruct the
students that their consolidated group “elevator speech” should be synthesized from all of their
ideas in order to create the best product. This consolidated elevator speech will be submitted
again to Google Forms on Blackboard.
Procedure 4: Jigsaw Activity- 15 minutes
Students will be counted off so that they will end up in a mixed group with representatives from
all the Federalist Paper groups: 10, 39, 47/48, and 51. The teacher will instruct the students to
share their consolidated group elevator speech, each student having the opportunity to teach it to
the other students. At this time, the teacher will circulate the room to check for understanding of
all of the Federalist papers and to make sure that in each group the students are truly “teaching”
the material to each other. The teacher will prompt questions such as: “You had number 51
right? Can you tell me a little bit about the main ideas in number 39?”
Procedure 5: Continuation of Jigsaw Activity- 15 minutes
Students will be instructed to discuss within their mixed groups how these four Federalist Papers
all fit together. The teacher will ask the students to find the “logic” that flows between the
Federalist Papers. Each group will present their continuous narrative to the rest of the class and
students will vote among themselves who did the best job. The top two presenters of the
continuous narrative will receive a small prize.
Procedure 6: Explanation of Federalist Paper Discussion Board HW- 15 minutes
The teacher will first review with the students the political science concept of “faction” that they
had been introduced to with their reading of the Federalist papers, as well as, the introduction
into the concept of “Madisonian Democracy.” Then the teacher will describe what is required of
them for the discussion board homework in their initial post: they must give an example of a
“faction” in today’s American society, describe the potential mischief their faction could cause if
it was left unchecked, and how the components of this system described in Federalists 10, 39,
47/48 or 51 have restrained factions to ensure liberty and justice for all. The students will also
be instructed to complete a peer response in addition to their initial response on
blackboard. They will be instructed that peer responses should “further the conversation”, not
simply state “I agree with everything you just said.”
Accommodations for Special Learners:
- Students who’s IEPs state that they benefit from additional explanation of activity instructions
will have the instructions restated until understanding of the expectation of the activity while the
teacher is circulating the room when they break out into small group discussion.
-Students who’s IEPs state that they have difficulty with reading comprehension will be assisted
on an individual basis, as the teacher circulates the room during the jigsaw activity to make sure
that they are explaining their Federalist Paper with all of the main concepts to their mixed
group.
-Instructions for both the elevator speech group activity and the jigsaw activity will be provided
on PowerPoint format in the center of the room in order to assist visual learners.
Assessment(s):
The formal, summative assessment will include the group elevator speech and the individual
elevator speech which will showcase how well the students understood the main ideas found in
their assigned Federalist paper. An informal, formative assessment will include the teacher
circulating the room and asking each jigsaw, mixed group what they learned about the Federalist
papers other students had read. Another informal, summative assessment will include when the
teacher asks each group to explain the “continuous narrative” found among all of the five
Federalist papers.
Extensions and Adaptations:
- Instead of writing an individual elevator speech, students could work in pairs.
- If students do not have a personal device available, they could write their elevator speeches
down on paper to turn into the teacher at the end of the period.
-Instead of a jigsaw activity, each group could present the main arguments of their assigned
Federalist paper to the entire class.
- Each group could record their “continuous narrative” of how all of the Federalist Papers are
connected to one another on an exit slip.